How God is man's end.
God is to be man's end, though we can add nothing to him. The highest love supposeth no want in him that we love, but an excellency of glory, wisdom, and goodness, to which all our faculties offer up themselves in admiration, love, and praise: not only for the delights of these, nor only that our persons may herein be happy; but chiefly that God may have his due, and his will may be pleased and fulfilled; and because his excellencies deserve all this from men and angels. When we love a man of wonderful learning, and wisdom, and meekness, and charity, and holiness, and other goodness, it is not chiefly for ourselves that we love him, that we may receive something from him; for we feel his excellency command our love, though we were sure that we should never receive any thing from him: nor is the delight of loving him our chief end, but a consequent, or the lesser part of our end; for we feel that we love him before we think of the delight.[208]The admiration, love, and praise of God our ultimate end, hath no end beside their proper object; for it is itself the final act, even man's perfection. Amiableness magnetically attracteth love: if you ask an angel why he loveth God, he will say, because he is infinitely amiable: and though in such motions nature secretly aimeth at its own perfection and felicity, and lawfully interesteth itself in this final motion, yet the union being of such as are infinitely unequal, oh how little do the glorified spirits respect themselves in comparison of the blessed, glorious God! See what I said of this before, chap. iii. direct. xi. and xv.
SignIII. Pride maketh men more desirous to be over-loved themselves, than that God be loved by themselves or others. They would fain have the eyes and hearts of all men turned upon them, as if they were as the sun, to be admired and loved by all that see them.
SignIV. Pride causeth men to depend upon themselves, and contrive inordinately for themselves, and trust in themselves; as if they lived by their own wit, and power, and industry, more than by the favour and providence of God. Isa. ix. 9; Obad. 3.
SignV. Pride makes men return the thanks to themselves which is due to God for the mercies which they have received. God is thanked by them but in compliment; but they seriously ascribe it to their care, or skill, or industry, or power, Dan. iv. 30; they sacrifice to their net, Hab. i. 16, and say, Our hand, our contrivance, our power, our good husbandry hath done all this.[209]
SignVI. Pride setteth up the wisdom of a foolish man against the infinite wisdom of God; it makes men presume to judge their Judge, and judge his laws, before they understand them; and to quarrel with all that they find unsuitable to their own conceits; and say, How improbable is this or that! and how can these things be? He that cannot undo a pair of tarrying irons, or unriddle a riddle till it be taught him, which afterwards appeareth plain, will question the truth of the word of God about the most high, unsearchable mysteries. Proud men think they could mend God's word, and they could better have ordered matters in the world, and for the church, and for themselves, and for their friends, than the providence of God hath done.[210]
SignVII. Pride maketh men set up their own love and mercy above the love and mercy of God. Augustine mentioneth a sort of heretics called Misericordes, merciful men; and Origen was led hereby into his errors. When they think of hell fire, and the number of the miserable, and the fewness of the saved, they consult with their ignorant compassion, and think that this is below the love and mercy which is in themselves, and that they would not thus use an enemy of their own; and therefore they censure the holy Scriptures, and pride inclineth them strongly to unbelief; while they forget the narrowness and darkness of their souls, and how unfit they are to censure God, and how many truths may be unseen of them, which would fully satisfy them if they knew them; and how quickly God will show them that which shall justify his word and all his works, and convince them of the folly and arrogancy of their unbelief and censures.
SignVIII. Pride makes men pretend to be more just than God; and to think that they could more justly govern the world; and to censure God's threatenings, and the sufferings of the good, and the prosperity of the wicked, as things so unjust, as that they thereby incline to atheism. So James and John would be more just than Christ, and call down fire on the rejecters of the gospel; and the prodigal's brother, Luke xv. repined at his father's lenity.
SignIX. Pride maketh men slight the authority and commands of God, and despise his messengers, and choose to be ruled by their own conceits, and lusts, and interest, Jer. xiii. 15, 17; xliii. 2, 3; when the humble tremble at his word, and readily obey it, Isa. lvii. 15; Neh. ix. 16, 29; Isa. ix. 9.
SignX. A proud man in power will expect that his will be obeyed before the will of God; and that the subjects of God displease their Master rather than him: he will think it a crime for a man to inquire first what God would have him do; or to plead conscience and the commands of the God of heaven, against the obeying of his unjust commands. If he offer you preferment, as Balak did Balaam, he looketh you should be more taken with it, than with God's offer of eternal life: if he threaten you, as Nebuchadnezzardid the three witnesses, he looks that you should be more afraid of him than of God, who threateneth your damnation; and is angry if you be not.
SignXI. A proud man is more offended with one that would question his authority, or speak diminutively of his power, or displease his will, or cross his interest, than with one that sinneth against the authority, and will, and interest of God. He is much more zealous for himself and his own honour, than for God's; and grieved more for his own dishonour, and hateth his own enemies more than God's; and can tread down the interest of God and souls, if it seem but necessary to his honour or revenge: he is much more pleased and delighted with his own applause, and honour, and greatness, than with the glory of God, or the fulfilling of his will.
SignXII. Proud men would fain steal from God himself the honour of many of his most excellent works.[211]If they are rulers, they are more desirous that the thanks for the order and peace of societies, be given by the people to them, than unto God. If they are preachers, they would fain have more than their due, of the honour of men's conversion and edification: if they are pastors, they would encroach upon Christ's part of the government of his church. If they be bountiful to the poor, and do any good works, they would have more of the praise than belongeth to a steward, or messenger that delivereth the gifts of God. If they be physicians, they would have the real honour of the cure, and have God to be but a barren compliment: like the atheistical physician, that reviled and beat his patient for thanking God that he was well, When, saith he, it was I that cured you, and do you thank God for it?
SignXIII. A proud man will give more to his honour than to God: his estate is more at the command of his pride, than of God. He giveth more in the view or knowledge of others, than he could persuade himself to do in secret. He is more bountiful in gifts that tend to keep up the credit of his liberality, than he is to truly indigent persons: it is not the good that is done, but the honour which he expecteth by it, which is his principal motive. He had rather be scant in works of greatest secret charity, than in apparel, and a comely port, and the entertaining of friends, or any thing that is for ostentation, and for himself.
SignXIV. A proud man would have as great a dependence of others upon him as he can. He would have the estates, and lives, and welfare of all others at his will and power; that he might be much feared, and loved, and thanked, and that many may be beholden to him as the god or great benefactor of the world. He is not contented that good is done, and men's wants supplied, unless he have the doing of it, that so he may have the praise. If he save his enemy, it is but to make him beholden to him, and be said to have given him his life. Fain he would be taken to be as the sun to the world, which mankind cannot be without.
SignXV. A proud man is very patient when men ascribe to him that which he knoweth to be above his due, though it be to the injury of God. He can easily forgive those that value and love him more than he deserveth, though they sin in doing it. He is seldom offended with any for over-praising him; nor for reverencing or honouring him too much; nor for setting him too high, or for giving or ascribing too much power to him; nor for obeying him before God himself. He careth not how much love, and honour, and praises, and thanks he hath; when an humble soul saith, as Psal. cxv. 1, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory:" and as the angel to John, that would have worshipped him, "See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant." They know God will not give "his glory to another," Isa. xlii. 8. "In his temple every one speaketh of his glory," Psal. xxix. 9. But of themselves they say, "I am a worm and no man," Psal. xxii. 6. I am less "than the least of all thy mercies," Gen. xxxii. 10; "less than the least of all saints," Eph. iii. 8; the chiefest of sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15: how unfit am I for so much love, and praise, and honour!
SignXVI. A proud man would have his reason to be the rule of all the world, or at least, of all that he hath to do with. If there were laws or canons to be made, he would have the making of them: he would have all men take his counsel, as an oracle: he would have all the world of his opinion; and sets more by those that thus esteem him and are of his opinion, and yield to all that he saith and doth, than by those that most earnestly desire to conform their minds to the word of God, and differ from him in the understanding of any part of it. He loveth them better that inquire of him and take his word, than them that inquire of the word of God. Though he cannot deny but it is God's prerogative to be infallible, and the rule of the world.
SignXVII. A proud man affecteth the reputation of God's immutability as well as his infallibility. He will stand to an error when once he hath vented it, and resist the truth when once he hath appeared against it, to avoid the dishonour of being accounted mutable, or one that formerly was deceived. His pride keepeth him from repenting of any fault or error that he can but find a cloak for. If he have done wrong to God and mischief to the church, he will do as much more to make it good, and justify it by any cruelty or violence. If he have once done you wrong, he will do more for fear of seeming to have wronged you. If he have slandered you, he will stab or hang you if he can, to justify his slander, rather than seem so mutable as to retract it.
SignXVIII. A proud man affecteth a participation of God's omniscience, and is eager to know more than God revealeth (if he be an inquiring man whose pride runneth this way). Thus our first parents sinned, by desiring to be as God in knowledge. This hath filled the world with proud contentions, and the church with divisions; while proud wits heretically make things unrevealed the matter of their ostentation, imposition, censures, or furious disputes; while humble souls are taken up in studying and practising things revealed, and keep themselves within God's bounds, as knowing that God best knoweth the measure fittest for them, and that knowledge is to be desired and sought, but so far as it is useful to our serving or enjoying God, and the good which truth revealeth to us; and that knowledge may else become our sorrow, Eccl. i. 1, 8, and truth the instrument to torment us, as it doth the miserable souls in hell.
SignXIX. A proud man is discontented with his degree, especially if it be low. He would be higher in power, and honour, and wealth; yea, he is never so high but he would fain be one step higher. If he had a kingdom, he would have another: and if he had the dominions of the Turkish or Tartarian emperor, he would desire to enlarge them, and to have more; and would not be satisfied till he had all the world. Men feel not this in their low condition; they think, If I had but so much or so much, I would be content: but this is their ignorance of theinsatiable pride that dwelleth in them. Do you not see the greatest emperors on earth still seeking to be greater. Every man naturally would be a pope, the universal monarch of the world. And every such pope would have both swords, and have princes and people wholly at their will: and when they have no mind to hurt, they would have power to hurt; that all the world might hold their estates, and liberties, and lives, as by their clemency and gift, and they might be as God to other men. And if they had attained this, pride would not stop, till it had caused them to aspire to all the prerogatives of God, and to depose him, and dethrone him of his Godhead and majesty, that they might have his place.
SignXX. A proud man would fain have God's independency. Though need make him stoop, yet he would willingly be beholden to none. Not only because in prudence he would keep his liberty, and not be unnecessarily the servant of men, nor under obligations to serve them in any evil way (for so the humblest would fain be independent); but because he would be so great, and high, as to scorn to lean on any other. Thus you see how pride is that great idolatry that sets up man as in the place of God.
SignI. A proud heart is very hardly brought to see the greatness of its sins, or to know its emptiness of grace, or to be convinced of its unpardoned, miserable state, or of the justice of God if he should damn it to everlasting torments.[212]Concerning others it may confess all this; but hardly of itself. Its own unbelief and averseness from God and holiness, seemeth to it a small and tolerable fault; its own pride, and lust, and worldliness, and sensuality, seem not to be so bad as to deserve damnation; much less the smallest sin which it committeth. Though customarily they may say that God were just, if he did condemn them, yet they believe it not at the heart. The most convincing preacher shall have much ado to bring a proud man heartily to confess that he is an enemy to God, a child of wrath, and under the guilt of all his sins, and sure to be condemned unless he be converted. He will confess that he is a sinner, or any thing else which the most godly must confess, or which doth not conclude him to be in a damnable, unrenewed state. But to make an ungodly man know that he is ungodly, and an impenitent person know that he is impenitent, and an unsanctified person know that he is unsanctified, is wonderful hard, because that pride hath dominion in them. "Are we blind also?" say the proud, incorrigible Pharisees to Christ, John ix. 40.
SignII. A proud heart doth so much overvalue all that is in itself, that every common grace or duty doth seem to it to be a state of godliness. Their common knowledge seemeth to them to be saving illumination: every little sorrow for their sin, or wish that they had done better, when they have had all the sweetness of it, doth go with them for true repentance; their heartless lip-labour goes for acceptable prayer; their image of religion seemeth to them to be the life of godliness; they take their own presumption for true faith, and their false expectation for christian hope, and their carnal security and blockish stupidity for spiritual peace of conscience, and their desperate venturing their souls upon deceit they take for a trusting them with God. If they forbear but such sins as their flesh can spare, as unnecessary to its ease, provision, or content, yea, or such sins as the flesh commandeth them to forbear, as tending to their dishonour in the world, they take this for true obedience to God. Because they had rather have heaven than hell, when they must leave the earth, whether they will or no, they think that they are heavenly-minded, and lay up their treasure there, and take it for their portion: because conscience sometimes troubleth them for their sin, they think they renew a sincere repentance, and think all is pardoned, because they daily ask for pardon. Their forced submission to the hand of God they take for patience; and a "Lord, have mercy on us, and forgive us, and save us," they take for a true preparation for death. Thus pride deceiveth sinners, by making them believe that they have what they have not, and do what they do not, and are something when they are nothing, Gal. vi. 3, and by multiplying and magnifying the little common good that is in them.
SignIII. A proud heart hath very little sense of the necessity of a Saviour, to die for his sins, and satisfy God's justice, and reconcile him to God: notionally he is sick of sin; and notionally he thinks he needeth a physician; but practically, at the heart he feeleth little of his disease, and therefore little sets by Christ. He feeleth not that which should thoroughly acquaint him with the reasons of this blessed work of our redemption; and therefore indeed is a stranger to the mystery, and an unbeliever at the heart, and would turn apostate if the trial were strong enough. He never felt himself a condemned man, under the curse and wrath of God, and liable to hell; and therefore never lay in tears with Mary at his Saviour's feet, nor melted over his bleeding Lord; nor feelingly said with Paul, "He came to save sinners, of whom I am chief;" nor "esteemed all things as loss and dung for the knowledge of Christ, that he might be found in him," Phil. iii. 7, 8. He is a christian but as a Turk is a Mahometan, because it is the religion of the king, and the country in which he was bred.
SignIV. A proud heart perceiveth not his own necessity of so great a change as a new birth, and of the Holy Ghost to give him a new nature, and plant the image of God upon him. He findeth perhaps some breaches in his soul; but he thinks there needs no breaking of the heart for them, nor pulling all down and building up his hopes anew. Amending his heart, he thinks may serve the turn, without making it and all things new, 2 Cor. v. 17. The new creature he taketh to be but baptism, or some patching up of the former state, and amending some grosser things that were amiss. He will confess that without Christ and grace we can do nothing, but he thinketh this grace is an ordinary help. Whereas an humble soul is so emptied of itself, and perceiveth its deadness and insufficiency to good, that it magnifieth grace, and is wondrous thankful for it, as for a new and spiritual life.
SignV. A proud heart hath so little experimental sense of the great accusations which Scripture bringeth against the corrupted heart of man, that it is easily drawn into any heresy which denieth them: as about our original sin, and misery, and need of a Saviour; about the desperate wickedness of the heart, and man's insufficiency and impotency to good, yea, averseness from it: whereas humble men are better acquainted with the sin within them, that beareth witness to all these truths.[213]
SignVI. The proud are insensible of the need and reason of all that diligence to mortify the flesh, andsubdue corruptions, and watch the heart, and walk with God in holiness of life, which God requireth. He saith, what need all this ado? he feeleth not the need of it, and therefore thinks it is more ado than needs. But the humble soul is sensible of that within him that requireth it, and justifieth the strictest ways of God. The rich think they have no need to labour, but labour is a poor man's life and maintenance; if he miss it a day, he feeleth the want of it the next.
SignVII. Proud men are much insensible of the want of frequent and fervent prayer unto God. Begging is the poor man's trade: the humble soul perceives the need of it: he finds as constant need of God, as of air, or bread, or life itself. And he knoweth that the exercise of our desires and faith, and the expression by prayer of our dependence upon God, is the way appointed for our supply. But the proud are full-stomached, and think this earnest, frequent praying is but hypocritical, needless work, and they cannot make a trade of begging, and therefore they are sent empty away.
SignVIII. A proud man is a great undervaluer of all mercies, and unthankful for them; but especially for spiritual mercy. He receiveth it customarily, as if it were his due; and customarily gives God thanks. But though he may rejoice in the prosperity of his flesh, yet he is a stranger to holy thankfulness to God; and thinks diminutively of mercy; yea, he is discontent, and murmureth if God give him not as much as he desireth. Whereas the humble confess themselves unworthy of the least, Gen. xxx. 10; 2 Chron. xxxii. 24-26. Hezekiah's lifting up and unthankfulness go together. A poor man will be very thankful for a penny or a piece of bread, which the rich would reject as a great indignity.
SignIX. Proud men are always impatient in their afflictions. If they have a stoutness or stupidity, yet they have not christian patience: they take it as if God used them hardly, or did them wrong. But the humble know that they deserve much worse, and that the mercy that is left them is contrary to their desert; and therefore say with the humbled church, Micah vii. 9, "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him." Lam. iii. 22, "It is because his compassions fail not, that we are not consumed."
SignX. Proud men are fearless of temptations, and confident of their strength and the goodness of their hearts. They dare live among snares, in pomp and pleasure, faring deliciously every day; among plays, and gaming, and lascivious company and discourse, and fear no hurt; their pride making them insensible of their danger, and what tinder and gunpowder is in their natures, for every spark of temptations to catch fire in. But the humble are always suspicious of themselves, and know their danger, and avoid the snare. Prov. xiv. 16, "A wise man feareth and departeth from evil; but the fool rageth and is confident." Prov. xxii. 3, "A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished."
SignXI. Pride maketh men murmur if the work of God be never so well done, if they had not the doing of it; and sometimes by contending to have the honour of doing it, they destroy the work. If they are officers of Christ, they look more at the power than their obligation; at the dignity than at the duty; and at what the people owe to them, than what they owe to God and to the people. They are like dogs that snarl at any other that would partake with them, or come into the house. They say not as Moses, "Would all the Lord's people were prophets." Yea, the peace and unity of church and state is often sacrificed to this cursed pride.
SignXII. Pride makes men ashamed of the service of God, in a time and place where it is disgraced by the world; and if it have dominion, Christ and holiness shall be denied or forsaken by them, rather than their honour with men shall be forsaken. If they come to Jesus, it is as Nicodemus did, by night: they are ashamed to own a reproached truth, or scorned cause, or servant of Christ. If men will but mock them with the nick-names or calumnies hatched in hell, they will do as others, or forbear their duty: a scorn will do more to make them forbear praying in their families to God, than the lion's den would do with Daniel, or the fiery furnace with the three confessors, Dan. iii. and vi. Especially if they be persons of honour and greatness in the world, then God must be merciful to them while they bow down in the house of Rimmon. As the rich man, Luke xviii. 23, when he heard Christ's terms, "was very sorrowful, for he was very rich;" so these, because their honours and dignities are so great, do think them too good to let go for the sake of Christ. Had they but the proportion of the obscure vulgar to lay down, they could forsake it; but they cannot forsake so fair a portion, nor endure the reproach of so honourable a name. But oh what contemptible things are these to a humble soul! He marvelleth what dreaming worldlings find, in the doting thoughts and breath of fools, which men call honour, that they should prefer it before the honour of God, and their real honour; when Christ hath told them, Mark viii. 31, that "whosoever shall be ashamed of him and his words, in an adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy angels." I now proceed to the signs of pride in particular duties.
SignI. A proud person is most solicitous in and about that part of duty which is visible to man, and tendeth to advance him in men's esteem: and therefore he is more regardful of the outside, than of the inside; of the words, than of the heart.[214]He taketh much pains, if he be a preacher, to cast his sermon into such a form as tendeth to set forth his parts, according to the quality of them that he would please. If he live where wit is valued above grace, or pedantic gingling above a solid, clear, judicious, masculine discourse, he bends himself to the humour of his auditors, and acts his part as a stage-player for applause. If he live where serious, earnest exhortations are in more request, he studieth to put an affected fervency into his style, which may make the hearers believe that he believes himself, and to seem to be what indeed he is not, and to feel what he feeleth not: but all this while about his heart he is little solicitous; and takes small pains to affect it with the reverence of God, and with a due estimation of his truth, and a due compassion of men's souls, and indeed to believe and feel what he would seem to believe and feel. So also in prayer and discourse, his chief study is to speak so as may best procure applause; and it is seldom that he is so cunning as to hide this his design from the observation of judicious men that know him: they may usually perceive that he is the image of a preacher or christian, by affectation forcing himself to that which he is not truly serious in. He is sounding brass, a tinklingcymbal, a bladder full of wind, a skin full of words; wise and devout in public on the stage, but at home and with his companions in his ordinary converse, he is but common, if not unclean. He is the admiration of fools, and the compassion of the wise; an oracle at the first congress to those that know him not, and the pity of those that have seen him at home, and without his mask: he is like proud gentlewomen that bestow a great part of the morning in mundifying and adorning themselves when they are to be seen, and go abroad, but at home are very homely. And usually the proud, being hypocrites, are secret haters of the most serious, and judicious christians; because these are more quick-sighted than others, to see through the cloak of their hypocrisy; unless as their charity, constraining them to conceal their fears and jealousies, may reconcile the hypocrite to them.
SignII. Proud men are apt to put on themselves to any public duty which may tend to magnify them or set out their parts, and think themselves fitter to be preferred before others, and employed, than indeed they are.[215]They are forward to speak in preaching or praying among others, or in ordinary talk; a little knowledge maketh them think that they are fit to be preachers: whereas the humble say with Moses, "Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh?" &c. Exod. iii. 11. "I am not eloquent, but slow of speech.—O my Lord, send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send," Exod. iv. 13. Or, as Isaiah, chap. xvi. 5, "Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips!" &c.; or as Paul, 2 Cor. ii. 16, "Who is sufficient for these things?" How many a sermon hath pride both studied and preached! And how many a prayer hath it formed! And how well are they like to be heard of God!
SignIII. The proud are loth to be clouded by the greater abilities of others: they are content that weaker men pray or preach with them, that will not obscure but put off their parts, that they may have the pre-eminence; as a dwarf, that makes another seem a proper man. They are less troubled that God and the gospel is dishonoured by the infirmities, insufficiency, and faults of others, than that their glory is obscured by worthier men, though God be honoured and his work promoted.[216]Whereas the humbled person wisheth from the bottom of his heart, that all the Lord's people were prophets, that all men could preach, and pray, and discourse, and live much better than he doth himself, though he would also be as good as they. He is glad when he heareth any speak more judiciously, powerfully, and convincingly than he, rejoicing that God's work is done, whoever do it; for he loveth wisdom and holiness, truth and duty, not only because it is his own, but for itself, and for God, and for the souls of others. A proud man envieth both the parts, and work, and honour of others; and is like the devil, repining at the gifts of God; and the better and wiser any one is the more he envieth him: he is an enemy to the fruits of God's beneficence; as if he would have God less good and bountiful to the world, or to any but himself, and such as will serve his party, and interest, and honour with their gifts: his eye is evil because God is good. If others be better spoken of than himself, as more learned, able, wise, or holy, it kindleth in his breast a secret hatred of them, unless they are such whose honour is his honour, or contributeth thereto; whereas the holy, humble soul, is sorry that he wants what others have, but glad that others have what he wants. He loveth God's gifts wherever he seeth them; yea, though it were in one that hateth him. He would not have the world to be shut up in a perpetual night, because he may not be the sun; but would have them receive that by another which he cannot give them, and is glad that they have a sun though it be not he. Though some preached Christ of envy and strife, of contention, and not sincerely, to add afflictions to his bonds, yet Paul rejoiced, and would rejoice, that Christ was preached, Phil. i. 15-18.
SignIV. When the proud man is praying or preaching, his eye is principally upon the hearers, and from them it is that his work is animated, and from them that he fetcheth principally the fire or motives for his zeal. He is thinking principally of their case, and all the while fishing for their love, and approbation, and applause; and where he cannot have it, the fire of his zeal goeth out. Whereas, though the humble subordinately look at men, and would do all to edification, yet it is not to be loved by them, so much as to exercise love upon them; nor to seek for honour and esteem from them, so much as to convert and save them: and it is God that he chiefly eyeth and regardeth; and from him that he fetches his most powerful motives; and it is his approbation that he expecteth: his eye and heart is so upon the auditors as to be more upon God; he would feed the sheep, but would please the Lord and Owner of them.
SignV. A proud man after his duty is more inquisitive how he was liked by men, and what they think or say of him, than whether God and conscience give him their approbation. He hath his scouts to tell him whether he be honoured or dishonoured: this is the return of prayer that he looks after; this is the fruit of preaching which he seeks to reap. But these are inconsiderable things to a serious, humble soul; he hath God to please, his work to do, and sets not much by human judgment.
SignVI. A proud man is more troubled when he perceiveth that he is undervalued and misseth of the honour which he sought, than that his preaching succeeds not for the good of souls, or his prayers prevail not for their spiritual good.[217]Every man is most troubled for missing that which is his end. To do good and get good is the end of the sincere, and this he looks after, and rejoiceth if he obtain it, and is troubled if he miss it. To seem good, and wise, and able is the proud man's end; and if the people honour him, it puffs him up with gladness, as if he were a happy man; and if they slight him or despise him, he is cast down, or cast into some turbulent passion, and falls a hating or wrangling with them that deny him the honour he expects, as if they did him a heinous wrong: as if a physician should want both skill and care to cure his patients, but hateth and revileth them, because they prefer another that is abler, and will not die to secure his honour, or magnify his skill for killing their friends. The proud man's honour is his life and idol.
SignVII. The heart of the proud is not inclined to humbling duties, to penitent confessions, and lamentations for sin, and earnest prayer for grace and pardon; but unto some formal observances and lip-labour, or the Pharisee's self-applause, "I thank thee that I am not as other men, nor as this publican."Not but that the humblest have great cause to bless God for their spiritual mercies and his differencing grace; but the proud thank God for that which they have not; for sanctification, when they are unsanctified; and for justification, when they are unjustified; and for the assured hope of glory, when they are sure to be damned if they be not changed by renewing grace; and for being made the heirs of heaven while they continue the heirs of hell. And therefore the proud are least afraid of coming without right or preparation to the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ: they rush in with confident presumption; when the humble soul is trembling without, as being oft more fearful to enter than it ought.
SignVIII. Proud persons are of all others the most impatient of church discipline, and uncapable of living under the government of Christ. If they sin, they can scarce endure the gentlest admonition; but if they are reproved sharply (or cuttingly) that they may be sound in the faith, you shall perceive that they smart by their impatience. But if you proceed to more public reproof and admonition, and call them to an open confession of their sin to those whom they have wronged, or before the congregation, and to ask forgiveness, and seriously crave the prayers of the church, you shall then see the power of pride against the ordinance and commands of God. How scornfully will they spurn at these reproofs and exhortations! How obstinately will they refuse to submit to their unquestionable duty! And how hardly are they brought to confess the most notorious sins! or to confess that it is their duty to confess them; though they would easily believe that it is the duty of another, and would exhort another to do that which they themselves refuse! The physic seemeth so loathsome to them which Christ hath prescribed them, that they hate him that bringeth it, and will die and be damned before they will take it; but perhaps will turn again and all to rent you (unless where they are restrained by the secular arm.) But if you proceed to reject them, for their obstinate impenitency in heinous sin, from the visible communion of the church, you shall then see yet more how contrary pride is to the church order and government ordained by Christ. How bitterly will they hate those that put them to such (necessary) disgrace! How will they storm, and rage, and turn their fury against the church; as if Christ's remedy were the greatest injury to them in the world! You may read their character in the second Psalm. Therefore Christ calleth men to come as little children into his school; or else they will be unteachable and incorrigible, Matt. xviii. 3.
SignIX. A proud man hath an heretical disposition, even when he crieth out against heretics. He is apt to look most after matters of dispute and contention in religion; obscure prophecies, God's decrees, controversies which trouble the church more than edify, circumstances, ceremonies, forms, outwards, orders, and words: and for his opinion in these he must be somebody.
SignX. A proud man is unsatisfied with his standing in communion with the church of Christ, and is either ambitiously aspiring to a dominion over it, or is inclined to a separation from it. They are too good to stand on even ground with their brethren: if they be teachers or rulers they can approve the constitution of the church; but otherwise it is too bad for them to have communion with; they must be of some more refined or elevated society: they are not content to come out and be separate from the infidel and idolatrous world, but they must also come out and be separate from the churches of Christ, consisting of men that make a credible profession of faith and godliness. They think it not enough to forbear sin themselves, and to have no fellowship with the works of darkness, but reprove them, nor to separate from men as they separate from Christ; but they will also separate from them in their duty, and odiously aggravate every imperfection, and fill the church with clamours and contentions, and break it into fractions by their schisms, and this not for any true reformation or edifying of the body, (for how can division edify it?) but to tell the world that they account themselves more holy than the church.[218]Thus Christ himself was quarrelled with as unholy by the Pharisees for eating with publicans and sinners; and his disciples for not washing before meat, and observing the traditions of the elders;[219]and for rubbing out corn to eat on the sabbath-day. And they that will not be strict in their conformity to Christ, will be righteous overmuch, and stricter than Christ would have them be, where pride commandeth it. They will be of the strictest party and opinions, and make opinions and parties that are stricter than God's commands; and run into errors and schisms that they may be singular, from the general communion of the church; and will be of a lesser than Christ's little flock.
SignI. Pride causeth subjects to be too quick in censuring the actions of their governors, and too impatient of what they suffer from them, and apt to murmur at them, and rebel against them. It makes inferiors think themselves competent judges of those commands and actions of their superiors, the reasons of which they never heard, nor can be fit to judge of, unless they were of their council. It makes them forget all the benefits of government, and mind only the burdens and suffering part, and say as Korah, Numb. xvi. 3, "Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?" Ver. 13, 14, "Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?—Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men?" Proud men are impatient, and aggravate their disappointments, and think they have reason and justice on their side.
SignII. A proud man is more disposed to command than to obey, and cannot serve God contentedly in a mean and low condition. He is never a good subject, or servant, or child, for subjection seems a slavery to him. He thinks it a baseness to be governed by another. He hath a reason of his own, which still contradicteth the reason of his rulers, and a will of his own that must needs be fulfilled, and cannot submit or yield to government. He is still ready to step out of his rank, and prepare for suffering by disorder, that he may taste the sweetness of present liberty; as if your horse or cattle should break out from you to be free, and famish in the winter, when snow depriveth them of grass. Whereas the humble know it is much easier to obey than govern, and that the valleys are the most fruitful grounds, and that it is the cedars and mountain trees that are blown down, and not the shrubs, and that a low condition affordeth not only more safety, but more quietness and leisure to converse with God, and that it is a mercy that others may be employed in his preservation, and keepingthe walls, and watching the house, while he may follow his work in quietness and peace; and therefore willingly payeth honour and tribute to whom it is due.
SignIII. If a proud man be a ruler, he is apt to be lifted up in mind; and to despise his inferiors, as if they were not men, or he were more. He is apt to disdain the counsels of the wise, and to scorn admonition from the ministers of Christ, and to hate every Micaiah that prophesieth not good of him, and to value none but flatterers, and discountenance faithful dealers, and not endure to hear of his faults. He is apt to fall out with the power of godliness, and the gospel of Christ, as that which seemeth to cross his interest; and to forget his own subjection to God, and the danger of his subjects. He is more desirous to be obeyed by his inferiors, than himself to obey his absolute Lord. He expecteth that his commands be obeyed, though God command the contrary; and is more offended at the neglect of his laws and honour, than at the contempt of the honour and laws of God.
SignIV. If there be any place of office, honour, or preferment void, a proud man thinks that he is the fittest for it; and if he seek it he taketh it for an injury if another be preferred before him as more deserving: and though they that had a hand in putting him by, and preferring another, did it never so judiciously, and impartially, and for the common good, without any respect to any friend or interest of their own, yet all this will not satisfy the proud, who knoweth no reason or law but selfishness; but he will bear a grudge to men for the most righteous, necessary action. What ignorant men and impious have we known displeased, because they were not thought worthy to be teachers in the church! or because a people that knew the worth of their souls, had the wit and conscience to prefer a worthier man before them! What worthless men (in corporations and elsewhere) have we seen displeased, because they were not chosen to be governors! So unreasonable a sin is pride.
SignV. A proud man thinks, when he looks at the works of his superiors, that he could do them better himself, if he had the doing of them. There is not one of them of a hundred but think that they could rule better than the king doth, and judge better than the judge doth, and perhaps preach better than the preacher doth, unless his ignorance be so palpable as that he cannot question it. Absalom would do the people justice better than his father David, if he were king. If all the matters of church and commonwealth were at his disposal, how confident is he that they should be well ordered, and all faults mended; and oh! how happy a world should we have!
SignVI. A proud man is apt to overvalue his own knowledge, and to be much unacquainted with his ignorance: he is much more sensible of what he knoweth, than how much he is wanting of what he ought to know: he thinks himself fit to contradict the ablest divine, when he hath scarce so much knowledge as will save his soul.[220]If he have but some smattering to enable him to talk confidently of what he understandeth not, he thinks himself fittest for the chair; and is elevated to a pugnacious courage, and thinks he is able to dispute with any man, and constantly gives himself the victory. If it be a woman that hath gathered up a few receipts, she thinketh herself fit to be a physician, and venture the lives of dearest friends upon her ignorant skilfulness; when seven years' study more is necessary to make such novices know how little they know, and how much is utterly unknown to them, and seven years more to give them an encouraging taste of knowledge: yet pride makes them doctors in divinity and physic by its mandamus, without so much ado; and as they commenced, so they practise, in the dark: and to save the labour of so long studies, can spare, and gravely deride, that knowledge, which they cannot get at cheaper rates. And no wonder, when it is the nature of pride and ignorance to cause the birth and increase of each other. It were a wonder for an ignorant person to be humble; and when he knoweth not what abundance of excellent truths are still unknown to him, nor what difficulties there are in every controversy which he never saw. How many studious, learned, holy divines would go many thousand miles (if that would serve) to be well resolved of many doubts in the mysteries of providence, decrees, redemption, grace, free-will, and many the like, and that after twenty or forty years' study: when I can take them a boy or a woman in the streets, that can confidently determine them all in a few words, and pity the ignorance or error of such divines, and shake the head at their blindness, and say, God hath revealed them to themselves that are babes! yea, and perhaps their confidence taketh dissenters for such heretical, erroneous, intolerable persons, that they look upon them as heathens and publicans, and either with the papists reproach and persecute them, or with the lesser sects divide from them, as from men that receive not the truth: and thus pride makes as many churches as there are different opinions.
SignVII. Pride maketh men wonderful partial in judging of their own virtues and vices in comparison of other mens. When the humble are complaining of their weaknesses and sinfulness, and have much ado to believe that they are any thing, or to discern the sincerity of their grace; and think their prayers are as no prayers, and their duties so bad that God will not regard them; the proud think well of all they do, and are little troubled at their greater wants. They easily see another man's failings; but the very same, or worse, they justify in themselves. Their own passions, their own overreachings or injurious dealings, their own ill words, are smoothed over as harmless things, when other men's are aggravated as intolerable crimes. Another is judged by them unfit for human societies, for less than that which they cannot endure to be themselves reproved for, and will hardly be convinced that it is any fault: so blind is pride about themselves.
SignVIII. Pride makes men hear their teachers as judges, when they should hear them as learners and disciples of Christ: they come not to be taught what they knew not, but to censure what they hear, and as confidently pass their judgment on it, as if their teachers wanted nothing but their instructions to teach them aright. I know that no poison is to be taken into the soul upon pretence of any man's authority, and that we must prove all things, and hold fast that which is good: but yet I know that you must be taught even to do this; and that the pastor's office is appointed by Christ as necessary to your good; and that the scholars that are still quarrelling with their teachers, and readier to teach their masters than to learn of them, and boldly contradicting what they never understood, are too proud to become wise; and that humility and reason teacheth men to learn with a sense of their ignorance, and the necessity of a teacher.
SignIX. A proud man is always hard to be pleased, because he hath too great expectations from others: he looks for so much observance and respect, and to be humoured and honoured by all, that it is too hard a task for any man to please him that hath much to do with him, and hath any other trade to follow; he that will please him, must either have little to do with him, and come but seldom in his way, or else he must study the art of man-pleasing, compliment, and flattery, till he be ready to commence doctor in it, and must make it his trade and business, as nurses do to tend the sick, or quiet children. One look, or word, or action, will every day fall cross, and some respect or compliment will be wanting. And, as godly, humble men do justly aggravate their sins from the greatness and excellency of God whom they offend; so the proud man foolishly aggravates every little wrong that is done him, and every word that is said against him, and every supposed omission or neglect of him, by the high estimation he hath of himself against whom it is done.
SignX. The proud are desirous of precedency among men: to be saluted with the first, and taken by great ones into the greatest favour; and to be set in the upper room, at table, and at church; and to take the better hand. He grudgeth at those who are set above him and preferred before him, unless they are much his superiors: or, if he have the wit to avoid the disgrace of contending for such trifles, and showing the childishness of his pride to others, yet he retaineth a displeasure at the heart: when the humble give precedency to others, and set themselves at the lower end, Luke xiv. 9, 10.
SignXI. A proud man expecteth that all the good that he doth be remembered, and that others do keep a register of his good works, and take notice of his learning, worth, and virtues: as their own memories are stronger here than in any thing, so they think other men's should be; as if (being conscious how unfit they are for the esteem of God) they thought all were lost which is not observed and esteemed by men. As their eye is upon themselves, so they think the eye of others should be also; and that as their own, to admire the good, and not to see infirmities and evil.[221]
SignXII. No man is taken for so great a friend to the proud as their admirers; whatever else they be, they love those men best, that highliest esteem them: the faults of such they can extenuate and easily forgive. Let them be drunkards, or whoremongers, or swearers, or otherwise ungodly, the proud man loveth them according to the measure of their honouring him. If you would have his favour, let him hear that you have magnified him behind his back, and that you honour him above all other men. But if the holiest servant of God think meanly of him, and speak of him but as he is; especially if he think they are disesteemers of him, or are against his interest and honour, all their wisdom and holiness will not reconcile him to them, if they were as wise or good as Peter or Paul. It signifieth nothing to him that they are honourers of God, if he think they be not honourers of him. Nay, he will not believe or acknowledge their goodness, but take all for hypocrisy, if they suit not with his interest or honour: and all because he is an idol to himself.
SignXIII. A proud man is apt to domineer with insolency when he gets any advantage, and perceiveth himself on the higher ground. He saith as Pilate to those that are in his power, "Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee?" forgetting that they "have no power at all against any, but what is given them from above," John xix. 10, 11. Victories and successes lift up fools, and make them look big and forget themselves, as if their shadows were longer than before. Servants got on horseback will speak disdainfully of princes that are on foot.[222]David saith, "The proud have had me in derision," Psal. cxix. 51. If they get into places of power by preferment they cannot bear it, but are puffed up and intoxicated as if they were not the same men they were. They deal worse by their inferiors if they humour them not, than Balaam by his ass; when they have made them speak, their insolency cannot bear it: whereas the humble remembereth how far he is equal with the lowest, and dealeth gently with his servants themselves, "remembering that he also hath a Master in heaven," Col. iv. 1, 2; Eph. vi. 9.
SignXIV. A proud man is impatient of being contradicted in his speech; be it right or wrong you must say as he, or not gainsay him. Hence it is that gallants think that a man's life is little enough to expiate the wrong, if a man presume to say, they lie. I know that children, and servants, and other inferiors must not be unreverent or immodest, in an unnecessary contradicting the words of their superiors, but must silently give place when they cannot assent to what is said; but yet an impatience of sober and reasonable contradiction, even from an inferior or servant, is not a sign of a humble mind.
SignXV. Wherever a proud man dwelleth, he is turbulent and impatient if he have not his will. If he be a public person, he will set a kingdom all on fire, if things may not go as he would have them. Among the crimes of the last and perilous times, Paul numbereth these; to be "lovers of their own selves, boasters, proud, traitors, heady, high-minded," 2 Tim. iii. 2-4. If they have to do in church affairs, they will have their will and way, or they will cast all into confusion, and hinder the gospel, and turn the churches upside down. In towns and corporations they are heady and turbulent to have their wills. In families there shall be no peace, if every thing may not go their way. They cannot yield to the judgment of another.
SignXVI. Proud men are passionate and contentious, and cannot put up injuries or foul words; when a humble man "giveth place to wrath," and "avengeth not himself," nor "resisteth evil;" but is meek and patient, "forbearing and forgiving," and so heaping coals of fire on his enemies' heads.[223]"Only by pride cometh contention," Prov. xiii. 10. "He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife," Prov. xxviii. 25. What is their wrath, their scorns, their railing and endeavouring to vilify those that have offended them, but the foam and vomit of their pride? "Proud, haughty scorner is his name, that dealeth in proud wrath," Prov. xxi. 24.
SignXVII. A proud man is either an open or a secret boaster. If he be ashamed to show his pride by open boasting, then he learneth the skill of setting out himself, and making known his excellencies in a closer and more handsome way. His own commendations shall not seem the design of his speech, butto come in upon the by, or before he was aware, as if he thought of something else: or it shall seem necessary to some other end, and a thing that he is unavoidably put upon, as against his will: or he will take upon him to conceal it, but by a transparent veil, as some proud women hide their beauties: or he will conjoin the mention of some of his infirmities, but they shall be such as he thinks no matter of disgrace, but like proud women's beauty spots, to set out the better part which they are proud of.[224]But one way or other, either by ostentation or insinuation, his work is to make known all that tendeth to his honour, and to see that his goodness, and wisdom, and greatness be not unknown or unobserved; and all because he must have men's approbation, the hypocrite's reward: he is as buried if he be unknown. "Proud" and "boasters" are joined together, Rom. i. 30; 2 Tim. iii. 2. "Theudas" the deceiver "boasted himself to be somebody," Acts v. 36. "Simon Magus gave out that himself was some great one, and the people all gave heed to him from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God," Acts viii. 9, 10. "Such love the praise of men more than the praise of God," John xii. 43. But the humble hath learned another kind of language; not affectedly, but from the feeling of his heart, to cry out, I am vile; I am unworthy to be called a child; my sins are more than the hairs of my head. And he hateth their vanity that by unseasonable or immoderate commendations, endeavour to stir him up to pride, and so to bring him to be vile indeed, by proclaiming him to be excellent. Much more doth he abhor to praise himself, having learned, Prov. xxvii. 2, "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." He praiseth himself by works, and not by words, Prov. xxxi. 31.
SignXVIII. A proud man loveth honourable names and titles; as the Pharisees to be called Rabbi, Matt. xxiii. And yet they may have so much wit as to pretend, that is but to promote their service for the common good, and not that they are so weak to care for empty names; or else that they were forced to it, by somebody's kindness, without their seeking, and against their wills.
SignXIX. Pride doth tickle the heart of fools with content and pleasure to hear themselves applauded, or see themselves admired by the people, or to hear that they have got a great reputation in the world, or to be flocked after, and cried up, and have many followers. Herod loveth to hear in commendation of his oration, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man," Acts xi. 22. It is a feast to the proud, to hear that men abroad do magnify him, or see that those about him do reverence, and love, and honour, and idolize him. Hence hath the church been filled with busy sect-masters, even of those that seemed forwardest in religion; which was sadly prophesied of by Paul to the Ephesians, Acts xx. 29, 30. Two sorts of troublers, under the name of pastors, pride hath in all ages thrust upon the church; devouring wolves, and dividing sect-masters. "For I know this, that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." See also Rom. xvi. 16, 17.
SignXX. Pride maketh men censorious and uncharitable: they extenuate other men's virtues and good works, and suspect ungroundedly their sincerity. A little thing serves to make them think or call a man a hypocrite. Very few are honest, or sincere, or godly, or humble, or faithful, or able, or worthy in their eyes, even among them that are so indeed, or that they have cause to think so: a slight conjecture or report seemeth enough to allow them to condemn or defame another. They quickly see the mote in a brother's eye. Their pride and fancy can create a thousand heretics, or schismatics, or hypocrites, or ungodly ones, that never were such but in the court of their presumption. Especially if they take men for their adversaries, they can cast them into the most odious shape, and make them any thing that the devil will desire them. But the humble are charitable to others, as conscious of much infirmity in themselves, which makes them need the tenderness of others. They judge the best till they know the worst, and censure not men until they have both evidence to prove it, and a call to meddle with them, having learned, Matt. vii. 1-4, "Judge not that ye be not judged."
SignXXI. Pride causeth men to hate reproof: the proud are forward in finding faults in others, but love not a plain reprover of themselves. Though it be a duty which God himself commandeth, Lev. xix. 17, as an expression of love, and contrary to hatred, yet it will make a proud man to be your enemy. Prov. xv. 12, "A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him, neither will he go unto the wise." Prov. ix. 7, 8, "He that reproveth a scorner, getteth himself shame; and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee." It galleth their hearts, and they take themselves to be injured, and they will bear you a grudge for it, as if you were their enemy. If they valued or honoured you before, you have lost them or angered them if you have told them of their faults. If they love to hear a preacher deal plainly with others, they hate him when he dealeth so with them. Herod will give away John's head, when he hath first imprisoned him for telling him of his sin, though before he reverenced him and heard him gladly. They can easily endure to be evil, and do evil, but not to hear of it. As if a man that had the leprosy, loved the disease, and yet hated him that telleth him that he hath it, or would cure him of it. This pride is the thing that hath made men so unprofitable to each other, by driving faithful reproof and admonition almost out of the world, because men are so proud that they will not hear it. Hence it is that others hear oftener of men's faults, than they do themselves; and that backbiting is grown the common fashion, because proud sinners drive away reprovers, by their impatience and displeasure. Husbands and wives, yea, servants with their masters, are so far out of love with just reproof, that they can hardly bear it. He must be exceedingly skilful in smoothing and oiling every word, and making it more like to a commendation or flattery, than a reproof, that will escape their indignation.
SignXXII. When a proud man is justly reproved, he studieth presently to deny or extenuate his fault; to show you that he is more tender of his honour than of his honesty. It is a hard thing to bring him to free confession, and to thank you for your love and faithfulness, and to resolve upon more watchfulness for the time to come: when the humble soul is readier to believe that he is faulty than that he is innocent, and to say more against himself than you shall say (if truly). This one sign may tell you how commonly pride reigneth in the world. How few are they among many that are heartily thankful for a just and necessary reproof! Mark them, whether the first word they speak, in answer to you, be not either a denial or an excuse, or an upbraiding youwith something that they think you faulty in, or else a passionate, proud repulse, bidding you meddle with yourselves?
SignXXIII. Pride maketh men talkative; and more desirous to speak than to hear, and to teach than to be taught: because such think highly of their own understandings, and think others have more need of their instructions, than they of other men's.[225]Not that humility is any enemy to communicative charity, or to zealous endeavours for the converting and edifying of souls; but a teaching, talking disposition, where there is no need, and beyond the measure of your calling and abilities, when you have more need to learn yourselves, is the fruit of pride. When you take less heed what another saith to you, than you expect he should take of what you say to him: when your talk is not so much by way of question as becomes a learner, but in the discourses and dictates of a teacher: when you are so full of any thing that is your own, and so contemptuous of what is said by others, that you have not the patience to hear them silently till they come to the end; but unmannerly interrupt them, and set in yourselves; which is as much as to say, Hold your tongue, and let me speak that am more wise and worthy: when you strive to have the most words, and to be speaking; as horses in a race, strive which shall go foremost: this is because pride puffs you up, and moves your tongues, as a leaf is shaken by the wind; it fills your sails; and makes you like bag-pipes, that are loudest when they are full of wind, and pressed. Eccl. x. 14, "A fool is full of words." Prov. x. 19, "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise."
SignXXIV. Pride maketh men excessively loth to be beholden to others; so that some will starve or perish before they will stoop so far as to seek, or be obliged to thankfulness by any; especially if they be such as they have any quarrel with. And this they take for manlike gallantry, and a scorning to be base. I confess that, as Paul saith to servants, if we can be free, we should rather choose it; and that no man should unnecessarily make himself a debtor to another, by being beholden to him: especially ministers, who should avoid all temptations of dependence upon man: and therefore should neither hang on great ones, lest they be tempted to unfaithful silence or flattery; nor needlessly live on the people's charity, lest they be hindered from the free exercise of their ministry. Therefore Paul laboured with his hands where he thought it would hinder his work to be chargeable to the churches, or give occasion to the envious to reproach him;[226]and he would "rather die than any should make this his glorying void," 1 Cor. ix. 15. Innocency and independency, as Mr. Bolton was wont to say, do steel the face, and help a minister to be bold and faithful. As Camerarius said, when he was invited to the court,